R- Innovating Rural gathering forms foundations for Innovative Future

R-Innovating Rural gathering forms foundations for Innovative Future

"Innovation is taking two things that already exist and putting them together in a new way” says Pauline Hoctor, Business Advisor with Carlow County Council’s – Local Enterprise Office and recent master of ceremonies for the first of two Rural Innovation events called R-Innovate, hosted in Ballon recently (3rd October 2018) which featured Anna May McHugh from the National Ploughing Association, Valerie Carty - Ballon Business Hub, Breda Malone - Visioning, Lorna Buggy - Buggy Curtain Making and Barry Curry – Systeme.

Over 50 people attended the event which was part of the R-Innovate Programme delivered under the Ballon Town & Village Renewal Scheme. R-Innovate was a unique County Carlow programme designed based on the needs of rural enterprises to introduce innovation into their business. Participants were provided with dedicated facilitation, mentoring and support which were designed to create new opportunities and support and develop jobs in Rural County Carlow.

An enterprise panel of Valerie Carty - Ballon Business Hub, Breda Malone - Visioning, Lorna Buggy - Buggy Curtain Making and Barry Curry – Systeme shared their stories of Enterprise Success which was followed by the keynote speaker Anna May Mc Hugh. Speaking at the event she told her story of innovation and growth in the form of the development of the National Ploughing Championships and her lessons learned in working with rural communities and the significant working together required in order to make any project a success.

Speaking about the programme, Declan Doyle, Vice president for Development and Research at IT Carlow said “For entrepreneurship to work it needs a good combination of focus, discipline and freedom and I believe that this programme offers the participants a unique opportunity to start, develop and grow their innovative rural enterprises”, Doyle continued “this programme is another example of how the link between education, innovation and enterprise can really work on the ground for SMEs”.

Chief Executive of Carlow County Council, Kathleen Holohan said “working to develop the seeds of new innovation in our Rural Communities is essential in order to ensure balanced economic development in County Carlow”, Holohan continued to say “I am delighted with the support of IT Carlow ,Bank of Ireland, County Carlow Chamber, Carlow County Development Partnership, Carlow Tourism & Carlow Local Development Committee in this project who all bring a wealth of knowledge, networks and opportunities which will be of benefit to the programme participants”.

Speaking about the benefits of the project, Pauline Hoctor, Business Advisor with Carlow County Council said “This project has provided targeted interventions to assist innovators, entrepreneurs and SMEs to develop their skills and abilities with a view to providing greater levels of economic growth and employment as well as fostering competitiveness”, Hoctor concluded by saying “we look forward to the next R-Innovate event in Bagenalstown on 23rd October 2018 with another Local Entrepreneur Panel and Bobby Kerr as our keynote speaker”. For further details on how to attend contact 059-9129783 or e-mail enterprise@carlowcoco.ie

Photographs attached to R-Innovate Press Release

5076 Pauline Hoctor – LEO - Carlow County Council, Valerie Carty – Ballon Business Hub, Breda Malone – Visioning, Kathleen Holohan – Chief Executive, Carlow County Council, Anna May McHugh – Managing Direct, National Ploughing Association, Lorna Buggy – Buggy Curtain Making, Barry Curry – Systeme.

5189 Kathleen Holohan – Chief Executive, Carlow County Council, Anna May McHugh – Managing Direct, National Ploughing Association, Lorna Buggy – Buggy Curtain Making, Breda Malone – Visioning,

5279 Deirdre Shine - Community Banking Manager/Branch Manager - Kilkenny City & South Kilkenny, Anna May McHugh – Managing Direct, National Ploughing Association

5280 Pauline Hoctor – LEO - Carlow County Council

5325 Brian Cllr. O’Donoghue - Cathaoirleach Carlow County Council

5322 Attendee at R-Innovate, Ballon Event

5455 Breda Malone – Visioning, Lorna Buggy – Buggy Curtain Making, Barry Curry – Systeme, Valerie Carty – Ballon Business Hub, Pauline Hoctor – LEO - Carlow County Council

5486 Pauline Hoctor – LEO - Carlow County Council

5503 Barry Curry – Systeme.

5564 Anna May McHugh – Managing Direct, National Ploughing Association

5620 Anna May McHugh – Managing Direct, National Ploughing Association being presented with a scarf created by Nicola Brown – Fine Art textiles by Cllr. Brian O’Donoghue - Cathaoirleach Carlow County Council

For further information please contact – phoctor@carlowcoco.ie / (059) 9129784